Set trigger mechanism



May 10, 1960 Filed April 1, 1958 w. B. WOODRING ETAL 2,935,808

SET TRIGGER MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG-l INVENTOR. WILLIAM B. WOODRING RICHARD E. MORGAN May 10, 1960 w. B. WOODRING EI'AL 2,935,308

SET TRIGGER MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 1, 1958 IIIII III III INVENTOR. WILLIAM B. WOODRING By RICHARD E. MORGAN United r 2,935,808 1 SET TRIGGER MECHANISM William B. 'Woodring,jHamden,- and Richard E. Morgan,

' North Haven, Conn., assignors to Olin Mathieson "Chemical Corporation 7 Application April 1, 1958, Serial No. 725,691

[1 Claim. (Cl.-42--69) ally operated by the shooter infiring, actuates or tips an intermediate mechanism where the intermediate mechanism is pre-set by means independent of the finger piece.

' Stated otherwise, set trigger. mechanisms usually have one element operable to fire the weapon and another to cock the firing mechanism. 7

{A particular feature of the present invention is the pro vision of an exceedingly'sensitive trigger device.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of a trigger of the type described wherein the trigger pull may be adjusted'through a range of about 0.1 ounce to about 6.0 ounces.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of an improved sensitive trigger having a manually operable setting lever independentof the firing trigger.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a trigger setting mechanism which develops exceedinglyhigh power without creating undue friction in the firing trigger, per se.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a set trigger device wherein judicious selection ofmoment arms precludes excessive wear in the firing trigger thus insuring uniform resistance to trigger pull for a given valueof trigger pulling force.

' A still further object of the invention is the provision of atrigger power element in the form of a pin or rod which is of low mass and thereforelow inertia.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a trigger power element as described above where the element is operative to move in a generally straight line and isentirely free of any rotatable element during the course of its power stroke.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a I high speed trigger power element which does not induce vibrations or chatter in the trigger mechanism when the element is tripped.

For purposes of' claiming the invention and in the subsequent description thereof, the term trigger is utilized to denote the element which is operativeto fire the weapon while the term cocking lever or setting lever is utilized to denote the element which is operative to I cock the trigger mechanism.

' 1 A trigger mechanism embracing certain features of the present invention may include a trigger, a spring loaded power element, said element being movable from a fired position to'a cocked position, a cocking lever for cocking the element and lever means cooperating'jwith the trigger and said element operative to set the trigger for firing whenever the power element is cocked.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from a study of the succeeding specification when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

" atent v 2,935,808 Patented May 10, 1-960 13 adapted to engage a corresponding shoulder '14 formed on the firing pin. I

A pivotally mounted blocking lever 16 urged to rotate in a clockwise direction by a spring 17 operates to block the sear 12 and to retain the firing pin 11 in the cocked position, as shown in Fig. 1. The scar is held firmly blocked by the force of the firing pin spring (not shown) which tends to move the firing pin to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, and the pin in turn tends to cam the seardownwardly against a shoulder 18 of the blocking 'lever'16.

The set trigger mechanism of the present invention indicated generally by the reference numeral 19 embraces a power element or striker rod 21, a cocking lever 22, a trigger 23, a fulcrum lever 24 and a crank lever 26.

Referring in more detail to the trigger mechanism, it is apparent that the cocking lever 22, urged to rotate in a counterclockwise direction by a spring 27, is received in a cut-out or notch 28 formed in the striker rod and is rotatable manually ina clockwise direction (toward the dotted line position shown) to move the striker rodlfrom the Fig. 2 position thereof to the cocked position shown in solid lines in Fig. 1.

The cocking lever drives the power element or rod-21 by virtue of the contact of the surface 15 thereof with r the corresponding crowned surface 20 formed on the The crank lever, constantly urged to rotate in a coun- Y terclockwise direction by a spring 36, has an arm 37 adapted to slip by and interlock with a claw 38 formed on one end of the fulcrum lever as shown inFig. 1. The

crank lever is also formed with a protuberance 39 operative to engage and drive the fulcrum lever in a counterclockwise direction after the arm 37 has slipped by the claw 38 in manner which will become more apparent hereinafter. V

Note that the fulcrum lever is urged to rotate in a clockwise direction about its pivot point 40 by'spring 41.

The opposite end of the fulcrum lever is formed with an inverted claw 42 operable to engage and interlock with a corresponding claw 43 carried by the trigger 23.

The trigger is pivotally mounted on the pin 44 and is urged in a counterclockwise direction by a coil spring 46. Tension of the spring 46 is varied by advancing or with drawing a cup 47 with respect to the main body 48 of the trigger with which the cup is threadedly engaged. The

- degree of overlap which occurs between cooperating solid lines of Fig. l. Actuation of the trigger 23 in the Q direction shown by the arrow will rotate the trigger about aeaases a pin 44 and against spring 46 with the result that claw 43 slides oflf cooperating claw 4-2.

With this occurrence the fulcrum lever by virtue of its tendency to rotate clockwise is free to so rotate whereupon claw 38 drops ofi crank arm 37 thus freeing the crank arm to rotate counterclockwise in response to its spring 41.

This movement of the crank arm eliminates the interference between lugs 53 and whereupon the power element 21 is free to move sharply to the left.

Note that the power element travels freely after it is tripped in the sense it does not drive or carry along any link, crank arm, or the like, which would add to its inertia. The rod 21, in its power stroke, moves from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the Fig. 2 position independently of the cocking lever 22. In fact, the rod moves independently of all elements of the trigger mechanism.

The head 3% of the rod 21 collides with the blocking lever 16 unblocking the sear. The sear, in turn, drops downwardly unblocking the firing pin and the Weapon is fired in well-known fashion.

Upon firing, the various elements of the mechanism are disposed as shown in Fig. 2.

In cocking the device, the cocking lever 22 is rotated manually to the dotted line position thereof shown in Fig. 1 whereupon the striker rod is driven to the right to the dotted line position.

In the course of movement to the right, the lug 33 encounters the left side of the corresponding lug 34- and is operable to rotate the crank lever 36 to the dotted line position thereof.

While the crank lever is rotated the arm 37 thereof slips by the corresponding claw 38 of the fulcrum lever. After the arm 37 and the claw 33 have passed one another, the protuberance 39 encounters the fulcrum lever and drives the lever in a counterclockwise direction thus bringing the claw 38 into blocking engagement with the arm 37. While the fulcrum lever is driven in a counterclockwise direction by the crank arm, claw 42 of the crank arm slips by corresponding claw 43 of the trigger and snaps into the position shown in Fig. 1.

Note that in the course of cocking the striker rod 21 it moves to the dotted line position thereof and the lug 33 ultimately overtravels the corresponding lug 34. Upon release of the cocking lever 22 the striker moves to the left a short distance in response to its spring 29 until the lugs 33 and 34' interfere with one another and block further movementof the striker to the left.

At this time the trigger mechanism is cocked wherein claws 42 and 43 block rotation of the fulcrum lever and the claw 38 blocks rotation of the crank arm 36.

Although the set trigger of the present invention is shown and described in connection with a particular scar and sear blocking lever, it is entirely within the scope and spirit of the invention to apply the principles thereof to a variety of weapons firing means.

What is claimed is:

A sensitive trigger mechanism comprising a spring loaded striker rod, said striker rod being movable from a cocked position to a released position, a settable trigger operable to release the striker rod, a manual operating lever for moving the striker rod to the cocked position,

- and a pair of levers cooperating with the trigger and the striker rod operative to lock the rod in the cocked position and to set the trigger for releasing the rod, said pair of levers defining a fulcrum lever and a cooperating crank lever, said fulcrum lever being further defined by a generally S-shaped configuration with the ends thereof terminating in claws, said claws being inverted with respect to one another and being operable to releasably block the crank lever and the trigger respectively.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 841,807 McGillivray Jan. 22, 1907 1,215,181 Newton Feb. 6, 1917 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,006,313 Germany Apr. 11, 1951 

